Chapter 401 James's Background
James spoke in a calm, almost detached way, like he was telling someone else's story, not his own.
But Jennifer? She was totally stunned. Her mind went blank, her mouth hung open, and her eyes went wide. She couldn't even get a word out.
Even though James's voice was steady, and he had a slight smile, Jennifer knew he was talking about himself.
A genius from a big-shot family, all arrogant and bossy—that wasn't how she saw James at all.
James went on, "His grandpa gave him this crazy task. He had to go to some small town in Serenity State, marry a girl from a regular family for five years, and during those five years, he couldn't reveal who he really was, show his skills, or leave whenever he wanted. He had to put up with everything and live like a nobody."
Jennifer felt like she might faint, her face going pale. It all sounded nuts, totally unrealistic. But she knew James wasn't making it up; it was real.
She couldn't bear to hear more. She grabbed James's hand and pleaded, "Please, stop."
By now, she had pieced a lot together. She understood why someone as remarkable as James had to live with the Johnson Family, why he suddenly went from enduring everything to being so impressive, and how he survived that terrible fire without a scratch when anyone else would've died.
Most importantly, she finally realized why James had been avoiding her. It wasn't just because Kaitlyn and Dennis were pushing him to sign the divorce papers. It was because he had finished his task and was going back to his powerful family.
If what James said was true, and such a powerful family existed, the day James returned would be the day they had to say goodbye.
She was freaking out, her hands and feet turning cold.
James looked at her, gently brushed some hair from her face, and smiled softly, his eyes full of warmth. "This task was ridiculous. He couldn't get it at first, but his grandpa made him a promise. If he completed the task, his grandpa would step down and let him become the head of the family. That was too tempting to pass up."
"He was ambitious and confident, not afraid of losing. He wanted to lead the family to even greater heights, to make it the most powerful."
"So he agreed and left that night to start this crazy task. His grandpa didn't spell it out, but he knew his grandpa was trying to humble him, make him less arrogant and less likely to make enemies. But he didn't care. His arrogance and bossiness were just part of who he was."
"That night, his dad dropped him off. Before they parted, his dad gave him some advice: don't fall in love. If he did, he'd end up hurt. At first, he didn't take it seriously. He thought he wouldn't fall for a woman from an ordinary family. And even if he did, he could always walk away. But as time went on, he started to understand what his dad meant. But by then, it was too late."
"Because he knew that someone of his high status would never be allowed by the family to marry an ordinary woman. If he fell in love, he'd be the one getting hurt unless he was willing to give up his spot as the heir and live like a regular person."
He paused, sighed, and asked Jennifer, "Jennifer, if you were this genius, what would you do? Stay and keep living your old life, or go back to the Smith family and be the heir?"
Jennifer was already in tears. She finally understood everything.
James wasn't a nobody. Their marriage wasn't because he wasn't good enough for her. It was the other way around—she wasn't good enough for him.
There was a massive gap between them, like the difference between night and day.
James's message was clear. He was the heir of the Smith Family, the most outstanding descendant, and sooner or later, he'd go back to them.
The five-year term was up; their fifth wedding anniversary had already passed. This meant he was going back to his family, leaving her world.
This was too much for her to handle. Her mind went blank, her heart ached, and it felt like her whole world was falling apart.
The silence was suffocating.
Then, faint footsteps came from behind Jennifer, crunching on the leaves, slowly getting closer.
It was Arianwen.
She had been there all along, hiding in the shadows, silently protecting James, even though she knew his martial arts skills were better than hers. James didn't need her protection, but she still watched over him.
She got a look from James and slowly stepped out.
Jennifer heard the footsteps, turned around, and saw Arianwen. She was cold to the bone, her eyes empty, like a machine.
Jennifer was stunned. She had never seen someone so cold. She thought she was pretty aloof, but next to this woman, she was nothing.
Arianwen walked up to James, bowed slightly, and said, "Master."
James nodded, his expression indifferent. He couldn't make the choice, so he let Jennifer decide for him.
Jennifer snapped out of it and looked back at James. "So you're telling me all this to say you're leaving, going back to the Smith Family to be the heir?" She tried to stay calm, but her voice still trembled.
James shook his head and said, "You make the choice for me."
Jennifer's mind was a mess, and she couldn't answer.
James smiled slightly and said, "I've made a lot of enemies, all heirs of powerful families in the country. If I choose to stay, I lose the position of the Smith Family heir. When word gets out that I'm in Lindwood City, these people will come for revenge. Life will be chaotic and dangerous. If you choose to stay with me, you'll have to endure this with me, living a life of constant worry, even putting your family at risk. Are you willing?"
"If I go back to the Smith Family, we'll never see each other again. I'll completely disappear from your world. But I can give you, Kaitlyn, and Dennis the best protection possible, and you'll be wealthy for life."
"So, what's it gonna be?" James left the decision entirely up to Jennifer.
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